The present application relates to the general field of packaging. It finds particular application to packaging equipment used to tape or seal shipping containers, cases, boxes, or cartons and will be described with reference thereto. However, other applications are also contemplated.
It is well known that merchandise and the like are commonly shipped or transported in rectangular cardboard containers or cases. Typically, these cases are supplied as a flat sheet and must be erected (or folded into a rectangular cube) and partially sealed before they can be used. In high volume shipping and packaging facilities, this process is performed by an automatic machine known as a case erector/sealer. In lower volume facilities, the cases are individually erected and manually sealed using a handheld unit commonly referred to as a “taping gun.”
For reasons which are obvious, manually erecting and sealing cases is laborious and, in particular, time consuming. In addition, handheld taping guns are not consistent in applying a reliable tape seal. In many instances, the user must hold the loose or open flaps of the case closed while attempting to operate the taping gun in sealing the case. Since sealing a case is a relatively precarious operation for a single individual, portions of the sealing tape often fail to adhere reliably to the case, fold and adhere to itself, or otherwise adhere in an improper or off-center location on the case. For example, if the end portions of the tape are not adhered properly, they could catch on a foreign object causing the tape to become detached and possibly spoiling the case.
On the other hand, automatic case erectors/sealers are complicated to operate, require frequent maintenance, and are cost prohibitive for many medium and small sized businesses. In addition, automatic case sealers are typically limited to a specific range of case sizes.
For at least these reasons, a need exists to provide a simple, versatile, reliable, and cost effective case sealing machine designed to accommodate medium to low volume packaging operations. Thus, the present application provides an improved device and a method that overcome the aforementioned problems and others.